Cash-box latch



Juhe 3, 1930. J, FRANCIS 1,762,015

CASH Box LATCH Filed July 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR June 3,1930. I

Fild July 17. 1925 x G. J. FRANCIS dAsH Box LATCH 2 Sheefs-Sheet 2V/////4 min-m tending portion 19 of the free end. To ac- V commodatethis latch device and to provide structure.

portion provided with the above de-' means cooperating therewith forholding the cover closed, the angle plate or bar 15 is formed with aslot 20 and the upper end of the casing 12 is formed with a similar slot21 registering therewith, these slots being so located that thedepending end portion cated by the numeral 12 includes two sections 2'?and 28, the former of which is of a rectangular box-like constructionprovided at its ends with laterally projecting aperctured'ears 29provided for attachment to the box 10, and the latter of which is formedas a plate complementary to' the box-like This section 27 includes a topscribed holes 21 and further provided with an opening 31: which receivesthe catch element or retaining element carried by the cover. Within thissection 27 is the plate 32 of the lock device which carries the keeper33. The essential feature is that the end portions of the section 27 areprovided with elongated slots 34 which receive correspondingly shaped.lugs 35 on the ends of the plate '28 which carries the lock boss 36which extends through the usual opening 37 c in the front of the box.

Assuming that the entire lock structure has been removed from the box,it will be apparent that if the operator holds the sections 27 in onehand and grasps the lock boss 36 in the other hand he may, by pulling inopposite directions on these elements, bow the plate 28 to a suflicientextent that the lugs 35. at the ends thereof may be withdrawn from theslots 3a in the ends of the casing section'27. In a similar or oppositemanner it is apparent that assembling of these parts may be equallyeasily accom 'plished.

.. For effecting release of the latch, I preferably provide a smallplunger 22 slidable through registering holes 23 and 24 in the vfront ofthe box cover and in the vertical fiangef of he angle plate or bar 15.:The

outer end of this plunger is equipped with a head or button 25 While theinner end is connected with the free end portion of the leaf spring,preferably by means of a reduced t nsion 26 passing through a suitableholev in the spring member and upset to, maintain permanent connection,

Normally, the resilience of the spring 16 is such as to maintain it in aposition where 'spring'member 16 will return to its normal position withthe lip 18 engaging against the lower surface of the top portion orupper end of the slot casing 12. Obviously, when this is done, the coverwill be held positively closed without requiring any manipulationwhatever of the lock device ordinarily provided. To effect release sothat the box covermay be opened, it is merely necessary that theoperator press upon the head or button 25 so as to force the springmember 16 inwardly and disengage the lip 18 from they look casing,subsequently to which the cover may be swung open in the usual manner.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will bereadily apparent that I have thus provided a very simple and inexpensivelatch device which may be constructed as an attachment for applicationto already existing boxes or which may be built into new ones as part ofthe original equipment. Attention is directed to the fact that the latchdeviceis mounted directly upon the keeper carrying angle member and thatit has an out-struck element thereon cooperating with the'lock casingitself, it being unnecessary to provide additional keeper means of anykind. It is believed that the construction, operation and advantageswill be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without furtherexplanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to makesuch'changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as willnot depart from'the spirit of the invention or the. scope of thesubjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: f

In a cash box having a hinged flanged closure and having a key operatedlock whose casing is fixed to one wall thereof and which casing has itstop provided with openings, one of which is of rectangular formation, aright angular-plate having one of its flanges fixed to the inner faceofthe closure and its second flange designed to overlie and rest on thetop of the lock casing and the said last mentioned flange havingdepending notched keepers to be received through thefirst mentionedopenings in the lock casing and which notched keepers are designed to beengaged by the bolt of the lock, the said last mentioned flange having arectangular opening therein .to re ister with that of the lock casing,the fixed ange of the angle plate having secured thereto one end of anofiset spring whose other end v is formed with a depending portiondesigned to pass through the rectangularopening in'the second flangeofthe angle plate and through the rectangular opening in the top of thecasing and to beurged against one of the longitudinal walls provided bythese openings by the tension of the spring, said depending portionbeing formed with an angle lip to overlie and to contact with the innerface of the top wall of the lock casing and a push element passingthrough the fixed flange of the plate and through the cover and fixed tothe spring at the end thereof provided with the depending portlOIl. r Intestimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

GEORGE J. FRA 01s..

